The Carolina Panthers' defensive line is about to get a little bit chillier, at least for opposing offenses.
On Friday night, the Panthers traded up into the 49th overall spot of the 2026 NFL Draft to grab Texas Tech nose tackle Lee Hunter. The 6-foot-3, 318-pounder comes to Carolina with a pretty cold (in a good way) résumé—which includes a first-team All-American selection as well as first-team and second-team All-Big 12 selections.
Hunter also heads over with one heck of a nickname—"The Fridge." He explained the origin of his cool moniker to local reporters after the pick was announced . . .
How did Lee Hunter get the nickname 'Fridge?' He's hoping Carolina Panthers fans embrace that nickname.📽️: @ChrisLeaTV pic.twitter.com/W2BcOjQzqm
Carolina's defensive trench could certainly use Hunter's presence, even after an improved showing from the 2025 campaign. The team cut ties with starter A'Shawn Robinson and didn't get the greatest of early returns on their signings of Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III.
So hopefully, "The Fridge" will only be open for the Panthers from here on out.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Panthers' Lee Hunter explains origin of his nickname